December 07, 2012

Cherry Brandy Old-Fashioned

Food Network Magazine (December 2012)

The first time Zach had an Old-Fashioned -- or at least the most memorable time -- was the first Thanksgiving he spent in D.C. A friend, Heather, invited Zach and several other folks to her family's huge Thanksgiving dinner in Northern Virginia. Awaiting the guests when they arrived was a 5-gallon glass jug full of Heather's dad's signature Old-Fashioned cocktail.

There was much ladling, and ladling, and more ladling. Suffice it to say, things got a little hazy. Zach's night ended quite eventfully, when he fell asleep on the Metro at midnight and rode the Orange Line straight through D.C. all the way to the end of the line in Maryland. A cab was called. An ATM was visited. Heather's dad's Old-Fashioneds were forsworned.

We're sure you can handle yourself better when it comes to these Cherry Brandy Old-Fashioneds. But be warned. They are strong. And they are amazing.

Old-Fashioneds typically are made with whiskey or rye; the brandy version is apparently a Wisconsin thing. Well, call us cheeseheads -- we loved the brandy.

We were a curious about the frozen cherries that are called for in this cocktail. Old-Fashioneds are always garnished with cherries, but we questioned the idea of muddling thawed frozen cherries. We shouldn't have. It's really phenomenal. Muddled with the sugar, the orange and the bitters, the cherries give this cocktail a wonderful base.

This is a perfect cocktail for the holidays, and we plan on imbibing several over the next few weeks. We just won't get on the Metro afterwards...

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Cherry Brandy Old-Fashioned

Food Network Magazine (December 2012)

The first time Zach had an Old-Fashioned -- or at least the most memorable time -- was the first Thanksgiving he spent in D.C. A friend, Heather, invited Zach and several other folks to her family's huge Thanksgiving dinner in Northern Virginia. Awaiting the guests when they arrived was a 5-gallon glass jug full of Heather's dad's signature Old-Fashioned cocktail.

There was much ladling, and ladling, and more ladling. Suffice it to say, things got a little hazy. Zach's night ended quite eventfully, when he fell asleep on the Metro at midnight and rode the Orange Line straight through D.C. all the way to the end of the line in Maryland. A cab was called. An ATM was visited. Heather's dad's Old-Fashioneds were forsworned.

We're sure you can handle yourself better when it comes to these Cherry Brandy Old-Fashioneds. But be warned. They are strong. And they are amazing.